U.S. Census Reports Pittsburgh Population Decrease

While Pennsylvania's population remains the 6th highest in the union with 12,702,379 residents, southwest Pennsylvania's population faces decline. According to the 2010 Census results Allegheny County experienced a 4.6% population loss counting for 58,318 people, while Pittsburgh's population dropped to 305,704 from 334,563.

Chris Briem, Regional Economist at Pitt's University Center for Social and Urban Research, says that the declining population is fallout from families migrating after a lot of industry left the region. "The job loss here, the loss of heavy industry here, was about as extreme as you would find even by Rust Belt standards. So I think a lot of those long term demographic trends are impacting us more than elsewhere."

Briem says that once families left the region they took away some of the opportunity for the population to grow and left behind an older population that is less likely to have children.

Other Pennsylvania regions fared better than the Pittsburgh region with the entire state gaining 421,325 people and Philadelphia County acquiring an additional 8,456 people.

Legislation to Ban the "R" Word

Two state lawmakers this week introduced identical bills in the House and Senate that would remove the term "mentally retarded" from Pennsylvania laws. Legislation authored by Representative Jake Wheatley of Pittsburgh and Senator Andy Dinniman of Chester County would redefine the term "mental retardation as "intellectual disability" in state laws.

"The point is this: words do matter," said Dinniman. "They carry weight and they carry power. It's time that we abandon the use of this archaic and derisive terminology in favor of language that is inclusive and accepted by the physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities community."

Allegheny County changed the name of its Office of Mental Retardation last July to the Office of Intellectual Disability. Don Clark is the deputy director of that office and says nationally the terminology began to change in 2007. Clark says it's more than a matter of perception..."But also describing better that these are people with strengths and can contribute to their community. Many are out holding down jobs, living independently in the community. Some need additional support but many are contributing to their society."

Clark said they support this legislation because language is very powerful..."The words mentally retarded and retarded have some very negative connotations." He says by changing the terminology "it's hoped that this language will allow people to look at people individually and view them through their strengths."

Wheatley's bill has been sent to the House Judiciary Committee and Dinniman's to the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee.

City Council Calls Meeting on City/County Financial Management

Six Pittsburgh City Council members have sponsored legislation that would direct the city to join Allegheny County's comprehensive financial management system--a move favored by state overseers, the county, the city controller—everybody except the mayor. There will be a public, televised meeting attended by all the parties tomorrow at 1:30.

Councilman Bill Peduto says work has been going on for five years to improve the city's current, antiquated system, and the mayor’s preference for a cheaper system with the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority is "crazy" because nowhere in the country is a water and sewer authority in charge of the finances of a city.

The nine million dollar cost to join the county is what a modern system costs, according to Peduto, and will enable savings in such areas as the cutting of payroll checks, which now cost $1.5 million a year to outsource.

Peduto says City Council has the votes to override a mayoral veto.

A Candidates' Guide to Allegheny County

Allegheny Institute, the conservative Mt. Lebanon based think tank, has released a candidates' guide to issues facing the county. Democratic County Executive Dan Onorato recently announced that he would not seek a third term and since then a number of contenders announced or indicated that they will run for the office. AI Senior Policy Analyst Eric Montarti says the guide touches on the Institute's perspective on a range of issues, from funding the Port Authority, to revisiting the home charter rule, to the best use of Pittsburgh International airport and property reassessment. He says "our guide would be somewhere where a prospective candidate could look at, think about some of the issues -- maybe think about an issue a little bit differently than they may have and then hopefully go for some plan of action from there." On the democratic side County Controller Mark Patrick Flaherty and County Council President Rich Fitzgerald have joined the race for County Executive. On the conservative end, Tea Party activist Patti Weaver and County Councilman Chuck McCullough formally announced their candidacy last week, businessman and Mt. Lebanon Commissioner D. Raja stepped into the race yesterday. A Candidates' Guide to Crucial Issues Facing Allegheny County can be found at alleghenyinstitute.org.

Full Leaves for PEMA

Allegheny County's Emergency Management Chief is resigning to take a state job. Bob Full has been named as Chief Deputy Director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency in Harrisburg. PEMA's new director is Glenn Cannon who is the former head of the Pittsburgh Public Safety Department and former Allegheny County Manager.
Full worked for 23 years in the city's Public Safety Department before becoming the county's emergency services chief in 1998..
Council President Rich Fitzgerald thanked Full for his work...... "I have appreciated his expertise in emergency response, which he acquired from over 30 years as a firefighter and over 20 years as a public safety professional. Because of him, the County rebounded from many emergencies and improved the infrastructure of our emergency response protocols. He helped make the County a safer place, and I am glad he’ll share his knowledge and inimitable experiences at the state level."

Council Member Jim Burn said Full's skills within the field are unmatched...."His resume is replete with evidence of his capabilities and the esteem of his peers: thirty-plus years of experience as a volunteer firefighter, 23 years of experience with the Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety, tenure as a former President of the PA State Association of Hazardous Material Technicians, Chairmanship of the Regional All Government Joint Terrorism Task Force, and innumerable other achievements speak volumes about his dedication to protecting the public’s safety."

County Executive Dan Onorato says he will appoint an interim Emergency Services Chief while a search for a permanent replacement is conducted.

ACLU Sues Allegheny County for Man Charged with Wiretapping

The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania filed suit against Allegheny County today on behalf of a Pittsburgh man who was charged for recording University of Pittsburgh Police. ACLU Legal Director Vic Walczak says its perfectly legal for anyone to tape police or any other public official when they are in public.

Walczak says on April 29th, Hill District resident Elijah Matheny and his friend were retrieving items discarded in Oakland by Pitt students after spring semester. Police approached and demanded identification; Matheny's friend did not have any, so the officers put her in hand cuffs until she could be identified. Matheny was charged with violating the state wiretapping statute for taping the officers as they handcuffed her.

Walczak says the First Amendment guarantees people a right to record police officers' behavior in public places. He says Pennsylvania state wiretapping law, though relatively stringent, further ensures this right. Walczak says a lack of knowledge of the law is to blame. "It's not clear to us exactly why, but many law enforcement officers in Pennsylvania do not seem to understand this exception to wiretapping law, and obviously the Pitt police are among those who don't understand this exception," says Walczak.

He says it's vitally important that local police remember this rule, because the G20 will bring police encounters and it's very likely someone will tape them. Walczak says the suit, Matheny v. County of Allegheny, et al, has two purposes: to make police aware of this wiretapping exception before the G20 event and to provide Matheny with some consempation for undeserved jail time.

Allegheny County has released a statement refuting ACLU's allegation that their attorney's office has a policy of advising officers to arrest those taping them on official business. "In fact, no such policy exists," says the statement.

House Bill 1661

Court-ordered countywide property taxes could be postponed if State Senate approves of a bill that would study the state’s property tax reassessment system and address the current problems with the system through enactment of the legislation.

State Representative Frank Dermody, bill sponsor from Allegheny County, says having each county make their own rules creates unfair taxing structures and making some counties uncompetitive.

“What is happening in Allegheny County where there was a lawsuit filed are we’re required to do another reassessment,” Dermody says. “The Supreme Court said that the general assembly is the proper place to develop a comprehensive scheme of assessment that is both comprehensive and constitutional.”

He says the moratorium would not apply to voluntary reassessments, and counties in the middle of a court-ordered reassessment would have the option of continuing with their process. The moratorium would remain in effect until the study is completed or until the end of June 2011.

Disaster Emergency Declared

Allegheny County has declared a disaster emergency a a result of the flash flooding that occurred during the powerful storms that moved through area Wednesday night. Between 3 and 4 inches of rain fell on communities in the Pittsburgh region. The county's declaration is also preemptive due to the possibility of additional heavy rainfall today. A flash flood watch is in effect until 2 p.m. Saturday.
Numerous homes and businesses experienced basement and first-floor flooding and some structures sustained major damage to their foundations. There was also extensive damage to roads, bridges, culverts and sewer systems.
In addition, eight municipalities within the county have declared disaster emergencies: Churchill, Forest Hills, North Braddock, Pitcairn, Turtle Creek, White Oak, Wilkins Township and Wilkinsburg.
The disaster declaration enables the county to bypass the standard procurement procedures to hire temporary workers, purchase supplies and rent equipment if needed. The declaration also positions the county to seek federal and state assistance.

Allegheny County Foster Care Placement at Lowest Level in 19 Years

Recent data gleaned through a first-of-its kind analysis showed that Allegheny County Foster care was at its lowest level in 2008 in 19 years. The Office of Children, Youth, and Families Services out of the county Department of Human Services had 25 percent fewer children entering foster care through late June 2008, than it did in a similar period throughout 2007. Human Services Director Marc Cherna says its the lowest level he's seen during his 13-year tenure at the department. When he took the role of director in 1996, there were 3,088 children in foster care. At the beginning of 2008, only 1,959 children were in care. Cherna says he believes strong programming and support aimed at keeping children in their natural homes is the reason for the decline. He says that the decline in foster care is a good thing because children do better in their natural homes. The statewide goal is to reduce foster care numbers by 15 to 20 percent by next year.

County Announces Plan to Prevent Foreclosures

Ex-President Judge Joseph James gathered today with Allegheny County Sheriff William Mullen and County Executive Dan Onorato to announce a new plan aimed at helping prevent mortgage foreclosures. Starting Monday, January 12th, homeowners who receive a complaint of foreclosure will also receive a pink form along with it. On that form will be a number for a hotline which runs out of the Department of Community Development. The homeowner must call the hotline within 20 days to set up free mortgage counseling with pro bono counselors. The homeowner then has 90 days to complete the counseling. Meanwhile, the program also requires lenders to designate someone to re-negotiate the mortgage, hopefully conciliating it before the scheduled foreclosure hearing. Onorato says the plan will not only help people, but will save taxpayers millions of dollars and prevent the spread of neighborhood blight, as well.

County Office Bldg. Closed due to Chemical Leak

Workers in the Allegheny County Office Building Downtown have been given the day off as HAZMAT crews “air out” the building. A worker noticed a strong smell of chemicals in the subbasement around 6:30 this morning and then noticed a barrel holding chloroform and methanol was leaking. County Medical Examiner Karl Williams says the chemicals are used in the crime lab and a contractor had placed them in the barrel for disposal. Williams says a small amount of moisture was noticed at the base of the barrel Friday and the contractor was called to remove it. Williams says the leaking barrel was placed inside another container this morning and workers were sent home as a precaution. Williams says the chemicals pose no long-term health risks and will dissipate quickly. As a mater of routine, workers in the County Crime Lab use the chemicals as solvents and collect them for later disposal. Williams says the barrel should not have leaked if just those two chemicals were combined. He says the contents will be tested before being disposed of later today.

New Program to encourage improvements

A new Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) is designed to help afflicted areas in making improvements to increase property values and improve areas in economic development.

"This program is to enable communities to purchase abandoned or foreclosed properties to either rehabilitate or build new houses," says Allegheny County Councilman Mike Finnerty. "They could demolish the residence." Allegheny County will receive $5.5 Million of the $3.92 Billion that were made available nationwide for this program.

Pitt Study: County Revenue Sharing Not Working

New research findings at the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) show that Allegheny County's tax revenue sharing program, implemented by Act 77 in 1993, is not working properly. On average, Act 77 provides $34 million dollars to the county's 128 municipalities each year. The original intent of the policy was to distribute more funds to the poorer communities. David Miller associate professor at GSPIA says instead the program is rewarding more to affluent communities because of their growing tax base, than to poorer communities. He suggests that the county re-think the formula used to determine how much money a municipality receives. Revenue sharing dollars play a major role in financially troubled communities, making up about 11 percent of their budgets.

Taxpayer Assistance Forum Tomorrow

A forum tomorrow is aimed at helping Allegheny County residents who are having trouble paying their real estate taxes or mortgages. The county's Treasurer, Controller and Sheriff will all attend. Controller Mark Patrick Flaherty says they want to hear suggestions about what the county can do to help residents who are having problems with taxes or foreclosures. So far, the county has delayed its annual filing of real estate tax liens. Normally, they're filed in August. A new date has not been set. A Taxpayer Task Force is also studying ways the county can help taxpayers.

The forum will be held in the Allegheny County Courthouse's Gold Room tomorrow from 5 to 7 pm.

Onorato Presents Proposed 2009 Plan to County Council

Allegheny County Chief Executive tonight presented his 2009 Comprehensive Fiscal Plan before Allegheny County Council. His plan once again refrains from raising property taxes and proposes a decrease in the drink and car rental tax from a 10 percent tax on poured alcoholic beverages to 7 percent. Onorato says excess revenue from the drink tax, which has already raised more than the $32 million that was needed to subsidize the Port Authority, will go towards outstanding debts on the county's roads and bridges. The overall proposed operating budget is $762.7 million and the proposed capital budget is $63.4 million. Onorato also stressed that in 2009 he will continue to follow the steps towards consolidation of the governments of Allegheny County with the City of Pittsburgh. He says the county will also pursue potential extraction of natural gas from Marcellus Shale located on the 10,000 acres of county land at the airport and in other areas. If approved, the budget will reflect the eighth consecutive year Allegheny County has not raised property taxes.

Counties Differ on "Passive Electioneering"

Allegheny County voters have been free to wear campaign t-shirts, buttons and stickers at the polls. But voters in Butler County have not. The Department of State recently issued a memo that says so-called "passive electioneering" is okay as long as voters don't do anything else to try to influence other people's votes. But ultimately, it's up to individual counties to decide how to interpret the state's ban on electioneering.

Regis Young, that county's Director of Elections, says he thinks wearing campaign paraphernalia at the polls is electioneering. Elections judges there have often given voters a jacket to put over campaign t-shirts or asked them to remove buttons. He says it hasn't been a big problem in the past.

Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato says it's not okay for poll workers to wear partisan attire, but he doesn't think what voters wear is a big issue. Like Young, he says it hasn't been a big source of conflict. But two poll workers in Allegheny County are suing over the State Department memo, arguing it's illegal.

Allegheny Green Team Formed

County Executive Dan Onorato has formed the “Allegheny Green Action Team” and filled it with business, community and environmental group leaders. Onorato says he will also hire a sustainability manager using foundation grants to make sure the suggestions generated by the team are instituted. Onorato says the sustainability manger will also work with all department heads to find ways to green up their operations while staying within their budgets. He says the county will also focus on preserving green space and promoting sustainable development. Onorato says he hopes that by leading by example the county will encourage municipalities and individuals to consider the environment when making decisions.

Both Drink Tax Referenda Stay Off Ballot

Both proposals on Allegheny County's drink tax should be left off the ballot, according to President Judge Joseph James. One referendum was proposed by the group Friends Against Counterproductive Taxation (FACT), many of whose members are bar and restaurant owners. That proposal would lower the drink tax from its current 10 percent to 0.5 percent. Carlton restaurant owner Kevin Joyce says FACT always believed this case would have to be settled in the Commonwealth or state Supreme Court, and his group will appeal. He says bar and restaurant owners estimate they will lose $70 million this year because of the drink tax. They believe they have been unfairly targeted as a revenue source for the Port Authority.

The other referendum thrown off the ballot was drafted by the county Council. It would ask voters whether they would prefer higher property taxes to a drink tax. Council President Rich Fitzgerald says his constituents have told him overwhelmingly that they prefer the drink tax. He says if both referenda stay off the ballot, that's fine--he says the important thing is that voters not be asked to lower the drink tax without accepting that the county has to raise revenue some other way.

Drink tax collections so far this year have been higher than expected. Fitzgerald says as the Council prepares to enter budget talks, it will consider whether the tax should be adjusted. But he also says some expenses have been higher than expected, as well--like fuel.

City/County Merger gets Quiet Hearing

Despite gathering at least 25 signatures to call for a public hearing on the possibility of a city county merger only 6 people took to the lectern Tuesday to voice their opinion. Among them was great Pittsburgh League of Women Voters President Suzanne Broughton whose group supports a merging of the city and county while leaving school districts and the other municipalities intact. She says one major concern is making sure voting districts are drawn to ensure good representation for everyone including minorities. Pittsburgh Democratic Committee Chair Barbara Ernsberg presented a long list of reasons why she feels the merger would be ill advised. She says she does not want the city’s elected offices to be eliminated. She also says she sees no real pension and debt solution, fears a weakening of minority representation and is worried about a loss of city identity. She also is worried that boards created to protect citizens such as the citizens police review board and the zoning board would be eliminated because there is no equivalent at the county level.

Firefighter Perks considered

Volunteer firefighters in Allegheny County may receive special benefits in the future that is worthy of risking their lives.

Councilman Nick Futules is to introduce a proposal to give free passes to county-owned swimming pools, ice skating, skiing, as well as other events at a county council meeting tonight.

"It's a thank you to the people that do put their lives on the line," Futules said. He added that it also provides an incentive for more firefighters to join the voluntary force.

However, there is some controversy about where the costs to pay for the free services will come from.

Futules explained it could cost anywhere between $500 thousand to $1 million per fire company, if the county paid for the firefighters' services. While more research needs to be done to confirm how much the perks will cost the county, he believes it will be significantly less than if the county were to begin paying them.

If the proposal passes, Futules said they can start providing the firefighters with the perks as early as next year.